La Sportiva Cobra
La Sportiva
A sensitive slipper for gym and sport climbing. Thin 0.8 mm LaSpoFlex forefoot midsole maximizes sensitivity while providing minimal support, and the XS Grip2 rubber sticks well on plastic and rock. Simple pull-on design - no straps, no fuss. Best for climbers past the beginner stage who want more feel underfoot.
Best For
Best for bouldering and sport climbing on slab, vertical and overhang terrain. Aimed at hobby to intermediate climbers.
Strengths & Trade-offs
Strengths
- Very sensitive - thin LaSpoFlex midsole keeps direct rock feel
- Quick to put on and take off
- Grippy XS Grip2 rubber
- Comfortable leather upper moulds to your foot
- Excellent smearing and friction on slab, grit, and sandstone
- Versatile - size comfortably for all-day use or aggressively for performance
Trade-offs
- No support for long routes
- No adjustability - fit depends on sizing it right
- Stretches significantly with use - multiple sizes reported
- Narrow pointed toe box painful for Greek toe shape (long 2nd toe)
- Heel hooks unreliable - shoe can slip off
Sizing & Fit
Leather will stretch roughly 0.5 EU; consider sizing down 0.5 if between sizes. True-to-size for average feet.
Fit profile: narrow width, standard forefoot volume, medium heel, suits egyptian toe shapes.
Expect roughly half a size of stretch; minimal break-in.
Stiffness
Measured stiffness: 0.27 on our 0-1 scale (0 = softest). Among slightly downturned shoes it sits between the Ocun Havoc (0.21, softer) and the Scarpa Veloce (0.29, stiffer).
Specifications
| Brand | La Sportiva |
| Model | Cobra |
| Closure | Slipper |
| Feel | Moderate-Soft |
| Downturn | Slight |
| Asymmetry | Slight |
| Rubber | Vibram XS Grip2 |
| Rubber Thickness | 3.5mm |
| Weight (pair) | 420g |
| Vegan | No |
| Kids | No |
Prices
| Retailer | Price |
|---|---|
| chalkr.de | 53.90 EUR |
| hardloop.de | 74.00 EUR |
| sportokay.com | 80.99 EUR |
| epictv.com | 82.81 EUR |
| outdoor-climbing.de | 85.95 EUR |
| funktionelles.de | 85.97 EUR |
| alpinstore.com | 89.90 EUR |
| kletterbude.de | 89.95 EUR |
| bergfreunde.de | 89.96 EUR |
| bergzeit.de | 90.30 EUR |
| + 4 more retailers | |
Cheapest current offer: 53.90 EUR at chalkr.de, 58% below the 129.00 EUR list price. 14 shops currently stock it (53.90 to 97.75 EUR).